Ratchet-type buckle and snowboard binding

ABSTRACT

A ratchet-type buckle ( 100 ) is disclosed for use with a ladder strap ( 80 ), wherein the buckle includes a toothed, barrel-shaped strap engagement member ( 140 ) that is rotatably mounted between oppositely disposed sidewalls ( 130 ) that are pivotally coupled to a base ( 110 ). The engagement member is positioned to drivably engage and hold the strap. A holding pawl ( 160 ) allows forward rotation and hinders backward rotation of the engagement member. A driving pawl ( 180 ) is incorporated into a lever assembly ( 170 ), which is pivotally coupled to the sidewalls, the driving pawl positioned to engage and rotate the engagement member teeth when the lever assembly is pivoted in a forward direction. The pivotal coupling of the sidewalls to the base permit the engagement member to be lifted away from the base, to release the strap. The sidewalls are preferably biased towards the base.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of the filing of U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 60/208,136, entitled Ratchet-TypeBuckle, filed on May 31, 2000, and the specification thereof isincorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates to bindings used for sports equipment and,more particularly, to ratchet-type buckles used in such bindings.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] In many sports, for example, winter sports such as snowboardingand skiing, users bind their boots to a sporting apparatus such as apair of skis or a snowboard. Conventional snowboard bindings aregenerally classified as either high back bindings or plate or step-inbindings. In such bindings, it is generally desirable to have acomfortable and secure attachment to the apparatus that is easilyengaged and disengaged. Although the present invention will clearly haveapplications in fields other than snowboarding, including, inparticular, other sports equipment applications, the present ratchetdesign was originally developed for snowboard binding applications; andfor purposes of disclosing and teaching the operation of the invention,the ratchet will therefore be described with reference to snowboardbindings.

[0004] In snowboarding especially, a tight and secure binding of theboots to the snowboard is important. If there is too much slack or playin the binding attaching the snowboarder to the snowboard, then thesnowboarder will not be able to control the snowboard as precisely as isdesired. A snowboarder's boot is held to the snowboard in a binding.Most snowboard bindings utilize a cradle that is bolted to the top ofthe board that receives the snowboarder's boot. Typically, two strapsextend around the top of the boot—one at the instep and the second atthe toe—to secure the boot to the snowboard. Unlike ski bindings, thesnowboard boot binding generally will not release the boot from thebinding during a fall. In fact, it is generally desirable that thebinding straps hold the boot securely enough that the boot cannotinadvertently slip out of the binding, even if the snowboarder fallsduring a run.

[0005] Many types of snowboard bindings have been developed to securethe snowboarder's boots to the snowboard. Because of the importance of atight coupling between the snowboard boots and the snowboard, bucklesfor snowboard bindings frequently include tightening devices thatprovide some mechanical advantage to facilitate strap tightening. Forexample, various strap designs have been developed that utilize aratchet-type buckle that mounts to a first binding element, such as aninstep pad, and a second binding element or strap having a plurality oftransverse ridges, or teeth, often referred to as a ladder strap.

[0006] In prior art ratchet buckles, a lever having a plurality of teethon one end is pivotally mounted to a buckle body that slidably receivesthe ladder strap. Such ratchet buckles are disclosed, for example, byDodge in U.S. Pat. No. 5,416,952 and No. 5,745,959, and by Allsop inU.S. Pat. No. 3,662,435. The ladder strap is inserted into the bucklebody and the lever is pivoted to engage the strap teeth and advance thestrap. A separate holding device (i.e., a pawl) is provided to engagethe strap teeth and prevent backward movement of the strap as the leveris lifted away from the strap and returned to the start position, tore-engage the strap, and be re-pivoted to further tighten the strap, asnecessary. A disadvantage of such prior art ratchet buckles is that theyengage and disengage the strap teeth multiple times during thetightening process, which generates wear and tear on the ladder strap,which is typically made from a softer material. Multiple engagements anddisengagements of the strap also increase the likelihood that the devicewill slip during tightening, either due to misalignment of themechanisms with the strap, wear and tear on the strap or buckle, or dueto foreign matter such as dirt and ice interfering with a properengagement. Another disadvantage to such devices is that the tootheddriving end of the lever is typically disposed a distance from theholding device, so that the strap must be inserted a fair distance intothe strap to engage both the lever and the holding device before thelever will operate to tighten the strap.

[0007] Other ratchet-type buckles have been developed that utilize aplurality of spring-loaded pawls that alternately drive (tighten) andhold the ladder strap. Such a buckle is disclosed, for example, by Linin U.S. Pat. No. 5,779,259. The buckle taught by Lin, however, has thesame disadvantages identified above. Multiple engagements anddisengagements of the ladder strap will increase wear on the strap, andboth of the longitudinally spaced-apart pawls must be engaged by thestrap for the device to operate properly.

[0008] Another ratchet buckle mechanism is disclosed by Olivieri in U.S.Pat. No. 4,547,980, which teaches a device having a rotatable sprocketthat engages transverse teeth on a ladder strap. In Olivieri, thesprocket is rotatably mounted to the buckle, which is prevented fromrotating in one direction by a spring-loaded holding pawl. A drivingpawl is provided on a pivotable lever, which is pivoted to rotatablydrive the sprocket and tighten the strap. However, the device disclosedby Olivieri has no apparent means to release the strap. Although theinventor states that to release the strap it suffices to depress theback end of the driving pawl, the disclosed action would not release thelocking pawl, and therefore the strap will not be released. It appearsthat to release the strap the user must press the driving pawl and pullback the holding pawl, which may be very difficult, particularly if theuser must simultaneously pull on the ladder strap. Moreover, thesprocket will still engage the strap, and will therefore rotate as thestrap is pulled out, which increases wear on the buckle and strap.

[0009] There remains a need for a ratchet buckle for use with aladder-type strap that minimizes wear and tear on the strap and iseasily releasable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The present invention is directed to a buckle for engaging aladder strap that provides a ratchet mechanism that facilitatestightening the strap, and that relatively easily releases the strap. Theratchet-type buckle includes a base the receives the strap, a pair ofoppositely disposed sidewalls, and a strap engagement member rotatablymounted to the sidewalls. The strap engagement member is movable betweena first and a second position, and includes a plurality of teeth thatdrivably engage the teeth of the strap when the strap engagement memberis in the first position. A holding pawl permits forward rotation of thestrap engagement member, and interferes with backward rotation of thestrap engagement member. A lever assembly includes a driving pawl thatdrivably engages the strap engagement member to rotate the strapengagement member and tighten the strap.

[0011] In an aspect of the present invention the holding pawl is biasedtowards the strap engagement member.

[0012] In an embodiment of the present invention the sidewalls arepivotally attached to the base, the pivotable sidewalls accommodatingmovement of the strap engagement member between the first and secondpositions, and the sidewalls are biased towards the strap engagementmember first position.

[0013] In an embodiment of the present invention the strap engagementmechanism comprises a generally cylindrical barrel having a plurality ofoutwardly disposed longitudinal teeth that are spaced to engage theteeth on the ladder strap.

[0014] In an embodiment of the present invention the strap assemblyincludes left and right link members that are pivotally attached to thestrap engagement member and a lever body pivotally attached to the linkmembers, wherein the forward portion of the lever body is the drivingpawl that drivably engages the strap engagement member.

[0015] In another embodiment of the present invention the lever assemblyis of unitary construction and includes a central driving pawl portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages ofthis invention will become more readily appreciated as the same becomebetter understood by reference to the following detailed description,when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0017]FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a buckle according to thepresent invention, attached to a snowboard binding for attaching asnowboard boot to a snowboard;

[0018]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the buckle shown in FIG. 1;

[0019]FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the buckle shown in FIG.1;

[0020] FIGS. 4A-4F show a side view depicting the operation of thebuckle shown in FIG. 1;

[0021]FIG. 5 shows a side view depicting the buckle shown in FIG. 1lifted away from the strap to release the strap;

[0022]FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of a bucklein accordance with the present invention, having a one-piece leverincluding an integral driving pawl; and

[0023]FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a third embodiment of a bucklein accordance with the present invention, having a spring-biased pawlbuilt into the lever.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0024] Referring now to FIG. 1, a buckle 100 according to the presentinvention is shown attached to an instep pad 95 for a snowboard binding90 mounted on a snowboard 93. The instep pad 95 includes a strap thatcouples the buckle 100 to the medial side of a binding frame. The buckle100 engages a ladder-type strap 80, having a plurality of saw-toothshaped transverse teeth or protrusions 85. The ladder-type strap 80 iscoupled to the lateral side of the binding frame. The frame is securedto a snowboard, and receives the snowboard boot between lateral andmedial sides thereof. Such ladder straps are frequently used in a numberof applications, including for closing and attaching sporting footwear.It will be appreciated that although saw-tooth shaped teeth aredisclosed and preferred for the present invention, other strap-toothshapes are also possible, including, for example, generally rectangularteeth and symmetrically triangular teeth.

[0025] A close-up perspective view of the buckle 100 is shown in FIG. 2,and an exploded view of the buckle 100 is shown in FIG. 3. In thedisclosed embodiment, the buckle 100 includes a base 110 having agenerally planar bottom surface 112 and an upper surface having alongitudinal channel 114 therethrough. (Terms such as “upper,” “lower,”“vertical,” “horizontal,” and the like are made with reference to thefigures and are not intended to limit the disclosed apparatus, which maybe disposed in any convenient orientation.) An attachment aperture 116is provided through the base 110 to facilitate attachment of the base110 to a first binding member, such as strap of the instep pad 95. Thelongitudinal channel 114 is sized to slidably receive a second bindingmember, such as the toothed strap 80. The longitudinal channel 114 isgenerally defined by oppositely disposed shoulders 118. A pair ofoppositely disposed slots 120 (one shown) are provided through the base110 at an intermediate longitudinal position, one near each shoulder118. The slots are beneath indented portions 124 in the interiorvertical wall of each shoulder 118. A pair of aligned transverseapertures 122 through each shoulder 118 are provided to facilitatepivotal attachment of sidewalls 130 as described below.

[0026] A pair of sidewalls 130, preferably generally flat plates, engagethe slots 120 such that the sidewalls 130 extend upwardly from the base110. Each sidewall 130 has a lower end 132 that is slidably insertedinto one of the slots 120 and an upper portion 134 that extends abovethe shoulders 118 of the base 110, such that each sidewall 130 engagesthe indented portion 124 of one shoulder 118. Each sidewall 130 includesa base pivot aperture 133 near the lower end 132, that is aligned withthe transverse apertures 122 in the base 110 when the sidewalls 130 areinserted into the slots 120. A base pivot pin 150, which may comprise,for example, a rivet, a metal dowel, or a threaded attachment hardware,is inserted through the aligned transverse apertures 122 and base pivotapertures 133 to pivotally connect the sidewalls 130 to the base 110. Inthe preferred embodiment, the indented portions 124 in the shoulders 118are sized and oriented to permit the sidewalls 130 to pivot through anangle of approximately 30 degrees.

[0027] The upper portion 134 of the sidewalls 130 include generallyaligned barrel mounting apertures 135 and first and second alignedholding pawl apertures 136, 137, respectively. The first and secondholding pawl apertures 136, 137 are preferably elongate, with the firstpawl apertures 136 oriented generally diagonally with respect to thebase 110, and the second pawl apertures 137 aligned generally parallelto the base 110.

[0028] A toothed barrel 140 having an axial aperture 142 is rotatablymounted between the sidewalls 130 with a barrel pivot pin 152 disposedthrough the barrel mounting apertures 135 and the barrel axial aperture142. The barrel 140 includes a plurality of longitudinally teeth 144that extends outwardly. The barrel teeth 144 are sized and spaced toengage the transverse teeth 85 of strap 80. In a preferred embodiment,the barrel teeth 144 are tapered in a saw-tooth shape, and oriented witha circumferential bias to improve the barrel's ability to positivelyengage the strap teeth 85 when the barrel is rotated in the forwarddriving direction, as discussed below. In the embodiment shown in FIGS.2 and 3, the barrel 140 includes concentric annular axial projections146 at each end (one shown), to facilitate attachment of a ratchet lever170, as shown in the FIGURES and described below. It will be appreciatedthat annular bushings could be utilized rather than axial projections146. It should also be apparent that the barrel 140, pivot pin 152, andprojections 146 may be integrally formed.

[0029] A two-piece holding pawl 160 is mounted between the sidewalls130. A pawl shaft 162 is slidably positioned in the first holding pawlapertures 136, wherein the pawl shaft 162 can slide between an upperposition and a lower position within the apertures 136. A pawl adapter164 having an elongate portion 165 and a pair of forwardly disposedannular portions 166 slidably receives the pawl shaft 162. The pawladapter 164 includes opposing protrusions 168 that extend into thesecond holding pawl apertures 137, wherein the pawl adapter 164 canslide between a forward position and a rearward position. The opposingprotrusions 168 are aligned on an axis that is parallel to and spacedfrom a central axis of the pawl shaft 162. The protrusions 168 may bedefined by the ends of a shaft secured within the elongate portion 165.The barrel 140 and holding pawl 160 are positioned such that when theholding pawl shaft 162 is in the lower position, the pawl shaft 162 isdisposed between adjacent teeth 144 on the barrel 140, therebyinterfering with rotation of the barrel 140. When the pawl shaft 162 isin the upper position it is disposed outside the outer diameter of thebarrel teeth 144, permitting the barrel 140 to rotate. While describedherein as having a two-piece construction, the pawl 160 mayalternatively be integrally formed.

[0030] It will be appreciated from examining FIGS. 2 and 3, that whenthe barrel 140 is rotated forwardly (counterclockwise in FIGS. 2 and 3),corresponding to tightening the strap 80 (see, FIGS. 4A-4G), the barrelteeth 144 push the pawl shaft 162 upwardly in the first holding pawlapertures 136, thereby permitting the barrel 140 to rotate. When thebarrel 140 is biased to rotate rearwardly (clockwise in FIGS. 2 and 3),for example, by tension in the strap 80, the barrel teeth 144 pushgenerally downwardly on the pawl shaft 162, thereby preventing thebarrel 140 from rotating.

[0031] In the preferred embodiment, a pair of torsional springs 156biases the pawl shaft 162 towards the lower position. It will beappreciated that the holding pawl shaft 162 is disposed forwardly of thesidewall pivot pin 150, and therefore the torsional springs 156 alsobias the sidewalls 130 downwardly (counterclockwise in FIGS. 2 and 3).

[0032] A lever assembly 170 is pivotally mounted to the sidewalls 130,pivotable about the axis of the barrel 140. The lever assembly 170includes a pair of link members 172 disposed on opposite sides of thebarrel 140 and a lever body 175. Each link member 172 has a forwardaperture 173 that slidably engages one of the axial projections 146 ofthe barrel 140, such that the link members 172 are pivotable withrespect to the barrel 140. The link members 172 also have alignedrearward apertures 174 that facilitate attachment of the lever body 175.The lever body 175 is an elongate member sized to fit snugly between therearward portions of the link members 172. The lever body 175 includes apair of aligned transverse apertures 178 at an intermediate location. Alever pivot pin 154 is inserted through the rearward apertures 174 ofthe link members 172 and through the lever body transverse aperture 178to pivotally link the lever body 175 to the link members 172.

[0033] The lever body 175 is pivotable between an engaged positionwherein the forward end 180 of the lever body engages the teeth 144 ofthe barrel 140, and a return position wherein the forward end 180 of thelever body 175 is slidable over the barrel teeth 144. In the engagedposition, the forward end 180 of the lever body 175 functions as adriving pawl for the barrel 140. An internal biasing mechanism, such asa torsional spring (not shown), biases the lever body 175 towards theengaged position. In the disclosed embodiment, the lever body 175includes a large, rectangular cutout 182, which lightens the lever,reduces the amount of material required, and provides access to the areaunderneath the lever body 175.

[0034] A pair of end caps 190 are disposed generally overlying the linkmembers 172. Each end cap 190 includes a forward aperture 192 thatslidably engages the barrel pivot pin 152, and a rearward aperture 193that slidably engages the lever pivot pin 154, whereby the end caps 190pivot with the link members 172. The forward end of the end caps 190include an enlarged, knurled portion 194 and a release tab 196. Theknurled portions 194 and release tabs 196 function to facilitategripping the buckle. The purpose of the pivotable connection between thebase 110 and the sidewalls 130 will now be appreciated, from examiningFIGS. 2 and 3. A strap 80 (see, FIG. 5) engaged by the buckle 100 can bereleased in a single intuitive motion by the grasping the buckle 100,for example, at the end cap release tabs 196, and lifting upwardly,thereby pivoting the sidewalls 130 such that the barrel teeth 144 arelifted away from the strap teeth 85, and pulling the buckle 100 awayfrom the strap 80.

[0035] In the preferred embodiment, a second set of torsional springs158 coils about the outer portion of the barrel pivot pin 152, andconnects between the sidewalls 130 and the end caps 190 to bias theentire lever assembly 170 downwardly (clockwise in FIGS. 2 and 3) to theclosed position shown in FIG. 2.

[0036] The buckle of the present invention can be fabricated from anysuitably sturdy material, including, without limitation, hard polymers,nylon, and metal. In a preferred embodiment, the barrel 140 and leverbody 175 are made from extruded aluminum, and the link members 172,sidewalls 130, base 110, and pawl shaft 162 are made from a metal, suchas aluminum or steel, to produce a very sturdy and reliable ratchetbuckle mechanism. The end caps 190 and pawl adapter 164 are made from anylon or hard polymer material.

[0037] The operation of the buckle 100 is shown in FIGS. 4A-4F, whichshow a cross-sectional side view taken through the buckle longitudinalcenterline. As shown in FIG. 4A, a ladder strap 80 having a plurality oftransverse teeth 85 is inserted into the buckle 100 beneath the barrel140. The buckle 100 is attached to a first binding member, such as aninstep pad 95 (as shown in FIG. 1). The ladder strap 80 has sufficientrigidity to be pushed under the barrel 140, either by causing the sideplates 130 to pivot about the pivot pin 150, or by rotating the barrel140 counterclockwise, such that the holding pawl 160 slides upwardly.The lever assembly 170 is then rotated upwardly (counterclockwise) asshown in FIG. 4B until the forward end 180 engages a tooth 144 of thebarrel 140. Further rotation of the lever assembly 170 (FIG. 4C) causesthe barrel 140 to rotate, thereby tightening the strap 80. It will beappreciated that the holding pawl 160 is pushed upwardly and out of theway by the barrel teeth 144. In the preferred embodiment, the leverassembly 170 can rotate the barrel 140 over several teeth 144 in asingle forward sweep (FIG. 4D). The lever assembly 170 is then rotatedcounterclockwise to return to the closed position (FIGS. 4E and 4F). Itwill be appreciated that during the return stroke, the holding pawl 160is in the lower position thereby preventing the barrel 140 from rotatingin the clockwise direction. Although tension in the strap 80 willproduce a torque on the barrel 140, the barrel tooth engaging theholding pawl 160 biases the holding pawl downwardly into the lockedlower position. The lever body 175, however, is pivotally connected tothe link members 172, whereby the forward end 180 pivots away from thebarrel 140 to return to the closed position. The user can then repeatthe tightening stroke until the desired strap tension is achieved andthen return the lever assembly 170 to the closed position (FIG. 4F). Inparticular, it is noted that the strap 80 applies a sideways force onthe buckle 100, but does not produce an upward force that would tend topush the barrel 140 away from the base 110.

[0038] When the user desires to release the strap 80 from the buckle100, the user merely grasps the upper portion of the buckle, forexample, the release tabs 196, and pulls the barrel 140 away from thestrap 80, as shown in FIG. 5. This disengages the barrel teeth 144 fromthe strap teeth 85, releasing the strap.

[0039] Another embodiment of a buckle according to the present inventionis shown in FIG. 6, which shows a buckle 200 having a one-piece lever270. The base 110, sidewalls 130, toothed barrel 140, and holding pawl160 are generally the same as that described above. The lever 270 ispreferably of unitary construction, having a proximal end 272 havingoppositely disposed elongate transverse apertures 273 (one shown) thatrotatably engage the barrel pivot pin 152. Release tabs 296 disposed atthe proximal end 272 facilitate gripping of the lever 270 for releasingthe strap, similar to the first embodiment described above. The elongateapertures 273 permit the lever proximal end 272 to be slidably movedbetween a first (lower) position and an second (upper) position (thelever 270 is shown in the first position in FIG. 6). The lever 270includes a center pawl portion 280 that is located such that when thelever proximal end 272 is in the first position, the pawl portion 280engages the barrel teeth 144; and when the lever 270 is in the secondposition, the pawl portion 280 is disposed outwardly of the barrel teeth144, thereby releasing the barrel 140. The distal portion 276 of thelever 270 is adapted to be engaged by the user, to rotate the lever 270about the barrel pivot pin 152.

[0040] It will be appreciated from FIG. 6 that as the distal portion 276of the lever 270 is rotated upwardly with the proximal end 272 in thefirst position, the pawl portion 280 will engage the toothed barrel 140,rotating the barrel 140 and thereby tightening the strap, as in theprevious embodiment. Moreover, because the pawl portion 280 isintermediate of the distal portion 276 and the proximal end 272 of thelever 270, the proximal end 272 will be biased towards the firstposition by the upward force on the distal portion 276, therebymaintaining the pawl portion 280 in engagement with the barrel 140. Whenthe lever 270 is pivoted in the opposite direction, the holding pawl 160engages the toothed barrel 140 (as discussed above for buckle 100),preventing it from rotating. The proximal end 272 of the lever 270 isbiased towards the second position by the force applied to the distalend 276, thereby permitting the lever to return to the closed positionwithout rotating the barrel 140.

[0041] It will be appreciated that, as in the previous embodiment, thetoothed barrel 140 can be lifted away from the base 110, pivoting thesidewalls 130 and releasing the strap 80. Biasing members such astorsional springs 258 are provided to bias the lever towards the closedposition. The lever 250 includes two spring retainer apertures 277 thatare disposed in the distal portion 276, whereby the retainer springs 258do not prevent lifting the lever 270 away from the base 110.

[0042] An advantage of this second embodiment buckle 200 is that byutilizing, for example, an appropriate polymeric material for the lever270 and a suitably deformable geometry, the pawl portion 280 can bedesigned to deformably accommodate the barrel teeth 144 at a selectabledesign applied force, thereby limiting the amount of stress that can beapplied by the user to the strap 80, thereby preventing or reducing thelikelihood of damage to the buckle and/or strap.

[0043] A third embodiment of a buckle according to the present inventionis shown in FIG. 7, which shows a buckle 300 having a base 110,sidewalls 130, and toothed barrel 140 substantially the same asdescribed above. The holding pawl 360 is also similar to the holdingpawl 160 described above, and functions in substantially the samemanner. The holding pawl 360, however, is unitary in construction, whichmay be less expensive to manufacture and assembly.

[0044] In this third embodiment, a lever assembly 370 includes a leverbody 375 having a proximal end 372 with oppositely disposed transverseapertures 373 that pivotally engage the barrel pivot pin 152. The leverbody 375 includes a distal portion 376 and a central portion 378. Thecentral portion 378 includes a cavity 371 disposed generally adjacentthe barrel 140. A driving pawl member 390 is slidably and springedlycaptured within the rectangular cavity 371, the driving pawl member 390being elastically biased towards the barrel 140, and positioned suchthat the driving pawl member 390 engages the barrel teeth 144. In thepreferred embodiment, a coil spring (not shown) is disposed within thecavity 371 behind the driving pawl member 390, thereby biasing thedriving pawl member 390 outwardly.

[0045] It will now be appreciated that by rotating the lever assembly370 upwardly (clockwise in FIG. 7) the driving pawl member 390 engagesthe barrel 140, thereby rotating the barrel 140 and tightening the strap(not shown), as in the previous embodiments. On the return stroke(counterclockwise in FIG. 7) the locking pawl 360 prevents the barrel140 from rotating, and the driving pawl 390 is elastically pushed out ofthe way as the lever assembly 370 returns to the closed position. Theuser can therefore tighten the strap to the desired tension, and releasethe strap, as in the previous embodiments, by lifting the upper portionof the buckle 300 away from the base.

[0046] While the buckle of the present invention has been described withreference to a strap on a snowboard binding, it would be apparent thatit is also suitable for use with other types of sporting goods, such asstrap carried on step-in binding type snowboard boots, snowshoes, andin-line skates.

[0047] While the preferred embodiment of the invention has beenillustrated and described, it will be appreciated that various changescan be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:
 1. A ratchet-type bucklefor use with an elongate strap having a plurality of transverseengagement elements, the buckle comprising: a channel adapted to receivethe strap; at least one wall extending distally from the channel; abarrel having a central axis and rotatably mounted to the at least onewall, wherein the barrel includes a plurality of outwardly disposedteeth parallel to the barrel axis that are spaced to drivably engage thetransverse engagement elements, the barrel being movable between a firstposition wherein the barrel teeth are disposed to engage the strap, anda second position wherein the barrel teeth are disposed to release thestrap; a holding pawl mounted to the at least one wall, the holding pawlpositioned to permit rotation of the barrel in a forward direction andto interfere with rotation of the barrel in the direction opposite theforward direction; a lever pivotally mounted to the at least one wall,the lever member including a driving pawl that is adapted to drivablyengage the barrel for rotation in the forward direction and to slidablyaccommodate the barrel without rotating the barrel in the directionopposite the forward direction.
 2. The buckle of claim 1, furthercomprising a base member that defines the channel and wherein the atleast one wall comprises a pair of oppositely disposed sidewalls thatare pivotally attached to the base member such that movement of thebarrel from the first position to the second position is accommodated bypivoting the sidewalls.
 3. The buckle of claim 2, wherein the levercomprises left and right link members, each link member having aproximal end and a distal end, the proximal end being pivotally attachedto the barrel such that the link members are pivotable about the barrelaxis, the lever further comprising a lever body pivotally attachedbetween the distal ends of the link members, wherein the forward portionof the lever body comprises the driving pawl.
 4. The buckle of claim 3,further comprising left and right end caps that are coupled to thelever, the end caps being adapted to pivot with the lever.
 5. Aratchet-type buckle for engaging an elongate strap having a plurality oftransverse teeth, the buckle comprising: a base portion having an uppersurface adapted to receive the strap; a pair of oppositely disposedsidewalls extending upwardly from the base portion; a strap engagementmember rotatably mounted between the pair of sidewalls, wherein thestrap engagement member includes a plurality of outwardly disposed teeththat is adapted to drivably engage the strap teeth, the strap engagementmember being movable between a first position, wherein the strapengagement member teeth are disposed to engage the strap teeth, and asecond position, wherein the strap engagement member teeth are disposedreleasably above the strap teeth; a holding pawl mounted between thepair of sidewalls, the holding pawl adapted to permit rotation of thestrap engagement member in a forward direction and to interfere withrotation of the strap engagement member in the direction opposite theforward direction; and a lever assembly pivotally mounted to the pair ofsidewalls, the lever assembly including a driving pawl that is adaptedto drivably engage the strap engagement member for rotation in theforward direction and to slidably accommodate the strap engagementmember in the direction opposite the forward direction.
 6. The buckle ofclaim 5, wherein the sidewalls are pivotally attached to the baseportion such that movement of the strap engagement member from the firstposition to the second position is accommodated by pivoting thesidewalls.
 7. The buckle of claim 6, further comprising at least onebiasing member that biases the strap engagement member towards the firstposition.
 8. The buckle of claim 7, wherein the sidewalls can pivotthrough an angle of about thirty degrees.
 9. The buckle of claim 5,further comprising at least one torsional spring that biases the holdingpawl towards the base portion.
 10. The buckle of claim 5, wherein thestrap engagement member comprises a generally cylindrical toothed barrelhaving an axis, the barrel being rotatably about its axis.
 11. Thebuckle of claim 10, wherein the lever assembly comprises left and rightlink members, each link member having a proximal end and a distal end,the proximal end being pivotally attached to the barrel such that thelink members are pivotable about the barrel axis, the lever assemblyfurther comprising a lever body pivotally attached between the distalends of the link members wherein the forward portion of the lever bodycomprises the driving pawl.
 12. The buckle of claim 12, furthercomprising transverse release tabs defined on opposite sides of thelever assembly for disengagement of the strap engagement member from thestrap.
 13. The buckle of claim 12, further comprising left and right endcaps that are coupled to the lever assembly, the end caps being adaptedto pivot with the lever assembly.
 14. The buckle of claim 13, whereinthe transverse release tabs project from the left and right end caps.15. The buckle of claim 5, wherein the holding pawl comprises a holdingpawl shaft retained by a pawl shaft adapter.
 16. The buckle of claim 5,wherein the lever assembly is of unitary construction.
 17. The buckle ofclaim 16, wherein the lever assembly further comprises integral means tofacilitate grasping the lever assembly.
 18. The buckle of claim 11,wherein the lever assembly comprises a unitary lever body pivotal aboutthe axis of the barrel, the lever assembly further comprising a drivingpawl member that is springedly attached to the lever body.
 19. Aratchet-type buckle for use with an elongate strap having a plurality oftransverse teeth, the buckle comprising: a channel adapted to receivethe strap; a pair of oppositely disposed sidewalls extending upwardlyfrom the channel; a barrel having a central axis and rotatably mountedbetween the pair of sidewalls, wherein the barrel includes a pluralityof outwardly disposed teeth that are spaced to drivably engage the strapteeth, the barrel being movable between a first position wherein thebarrel teeth are disposed to engage the strap teeth, and a secondposition wherein the barrel teeth are disposed to release the strapteeth; a holding pawl mounted between the pair of sidewalls, the holdingpawl positioned to permit rotation of the barrel in a forward directionand to interfere with rotation of the barrel in the direction oppositethe forward direction; and a lever pivotally mounted between the pair ofsidewalls, the lever including a driving pawl that is adapted todrivably engage the toothed barrel for rotation in the forward directionand to slidably accommodate the barrel without rotating the barrel inthe direction opposite the forward direction.
 20. The buckle of claim19, wherein the sidewalls are pivotable with respect to the channel suchthat the toothed barrel is movable between the first position and thesecond position by pivoting the sidewalls.
 21. The buckle of claim 20,further comprising at least one biasing member that biases the barreltowards the first position.
 22. The buckle of claim 21, wherein thesidewalls can pivot through an angle of about thirty degrees.
 23. Thebuckle of claim 19, further comprising at least one torsional springthat biases the holding pawl towards the toothed barrel.
 24. The buckleof claim 19, further comprising opposed annular elements disposedcoaxially with the barrel, and wherein the lever comprises left andright link members, each link member having a proximal end with acircular aperture that slidably engages one of the annular elements suchthat the link members are pivotable about the barrel axis, the leverfurther comprising a lever body pivotally attached between the linkmembers wherein the forward portion of the lever body comprises thedriving pawl.
 25. The buckle of claim 24, further comprising transverserelease tabs defined on opposite sides of the lever for lifting anddisengagement of the strap engagement member from the strap.
 26. Thebuckle of claim 25, further comprising left and right end caps that arecoupled to the lever, the end caps being adapted to pivot with thelever.
 27. The buckle of claim 26, wherein the transverse release tabsproject from the left and right end caps.
 28. The buckle of claim 19,wherein the holding pawl comprises a holding pawl shaft retained by apawl shaft adapter.
 29. The buckle of claim 19, wherein the lever is ofunitary construction, and is coupled to pivot about the barrel centralaxis.
 30. The buckle of claim 29, wherein the lever further comprisesmeans to facilitate grasping the lever.
 31. The buckle of claim 19,wherein the lever member comprises a unitary lever body pivotal aboutthe central axis of the barrel, the lever member further comprising adriving pawl member that is springedly attached to the lever body.
 32. Aratchet-type buckle for use with a strap having a plurality oftransverse teeth on one side, the buckle comprising: a channel adaptedto receive the strap; a pair of oppositely disposed sidewalls extendingupwardly from the channel; a toothed barrel having a central axis androtatably mounted between the pair of sidewalls, wherein the barrelincludes a plurality of outwardly disposed teeth parallel to the barrelaxis that are spaced to drivably engage the strap teeth, the barrelbeing movable between a first position wherein the barrel teeth aredisposed to engage the strap teeth, and a second position wherein thebarrel teeth are disposed to release the strap teeth; a holding pawlmounted between the pair of sidewalls, the holding pawl positioned topermit rotation of the barrel in a forward direction and to interferewith rotation of the barrel in the direction opposite the forwarddirection; a lever pivotally mounted between the pair of sidewalls, thelever including a driving pawl that is adapted to drivably engage thetoothed barrel for rotation in the forward direction and to slidablyaccommodate the barrel without rotating the barrel in the directionopposite the forward direction; and at least one release tab disposed onthe buckle to facilitate lifting the toothed barrel away from the strap.